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SCOTTISH BORDERS ADULT LEARNERS AWARDS 2007 – NOMINEES
Emma Black – A 19-year-old Cerebral Palsy sufferer, confined to a wheelchair, started at Borders College on a Lifeskills course from school. She progressed to a Workwise Course during which she has achieved a number of SQA units. As part of her project for communications classes she has undertaken a survey of Galashiels for wheelchair users, which resulted in a number of improvements being made by the Council.
Gordon Brown – Aged 38, Gordon has volunteered his special talents to help with the delivery of a music project for Community Learning & Development. Through this he has gained skills and confidence as a youth worker and is now recovering from a mild heart attack.
“Buddies” – A group of volunteers and service users with disabilities who linked up together to attend a variety of leisure evening classes at Borders College. This is a great social outlet and not only do the volunteers and service users enjoy new experiences but great friendships are forged.
Janis Calder – At 43, Janis was watching television when the Big Plus ‘Gremlins’ appeared. Recognising herself she resolved to beat her own problems with reading, writing and spelling skills so as to be able to fulfil the requirement for ‘Home Carers’ to gain SVQ’s. She has now completed her Communications Access 2 and 3 and Communications Intermediate 1. Janis’ work colleagues and clients have benefited from her new ability to read and write.
“The Coffee Shop” - A partnership of volunteers from the Focus Community Centre and the Ability Centre was formed in 2003 to set up and run a community café. The volunteers have completed Elementary Food Hygiene training and gained experience in all forms of committee work and, helped by funding from Adult Literacies, have gained computing and literacy skills.
Isla Davidson – Leaving school with no qualifications and with a poor school record, Isla took a Get Ready for Work course with BC Consultants. Now aged 17 and having spent 10 months work experience with Bordent (Dental Technology) she has developed belief in herself and proved that she can achieve something. She is now employed as a trainee dental technician and is working towards an NC in dental technology.
Leon Fojcik – Leon, in his 40’s, lives in Jedburgh and wanted to get back to learning – having attended a catering course some years ago. He was nervous about using the bus on his own, but has now overcome his fears and with his ‘buddy’ from Interest Link attended cookery classes in Hawick.
Shona Kennedy - Aged 37 is a single parent with two sons and lives with a painful disability. Her background meant that she left school with no qualifications and enrolled as an Adult Learner with Learning for All enabling her to improve her memory, basic skills. She has joined the library and now enjoys reading and is doing an Online course at Peebles Library for numeracy. She has enrolled to do an SQA Communications.
“Langlee Thursday Music Group” – A group of young men aged 15 – 25 who were using the Langlee Community Centre as a rehearsal space to form a band. It was identified that the group had a wide range of needs from literacy to improved confidence and assertiveness. Using the participants enthusiasm for music the project addressed a wide range of individual/group needs to enable the individuals to progress to active citizens who felt able and equipped to make informed changes in their lives.
Marie McHale – At 60 and recently retired from the laundry at BGH, Marie has learning disabilities and linked up with a ‘Buddy’ to attend evening classes at Borders College. ‘Simple Patchwork’ enabled her to make a cushion for a Christmas present. Now she is ‘Computing for beginners’ and is rightly proud of her achievements.
Claire McKenzie – Claire, aged 20, has Cerebral Palsy and has problems with her motor skills as well as being visually impaired. She travels from Coldstream for courses at Borders College completing courses in Lifeskills and Workwise. She has completed SQA units at Access 1 and 2 levels. She is now able to undertake sheltered placements in the Cancer Research shop in Galashiels.
"Peacefinders” – A Microsite Literacies Learning Group who first met in July 2006 with the challenge of creating a microsite that would raise awareness and give support to other adult learners in the community. They had to overcome considerably personal fears in being part of a group. They had to learn to trust one another and gain confidence to co-operate and work together. Now one member helps her grandsons with their homework and another is volunteering at a school.
“Prepare to Care” – This was a pilot course in Understanding Care Skills. The participants were people, due to social, economic or personal circumstances, who were unable to improve their employment conditions or to access Further Education. As a result of the course, six students have gained employment in the care sector, one has gone back to full time study and others are considering doing further study.
Yani Rathie – A 52 year-old, born in Indonesia and married to a Scotsman who sadly died before she started her college course. Through a level 3 beauty therapist course at Borders College, Yani gained a qualification recognised in the UK as well as improving her level of English through an ESOL course. She attended a work placement one day a week, through which she received an Employability Award. She has now set up her own business, specialising in Indonesian Therapies.
Kirsty Renwick – Aged 21, Kirsty was referred to Adult Learning by Streets Ahead. An epileptic, Kirsty has had to overcome health problems and needed to learn to read and write so that she could live independently.
Kelly Sim – At 28, Kelly came to Adult Learning through Ways 2 Work. She attended Lanark Lodge in Duns and wanted to build up independent skills in handling money. Using the internet, Kelly is now, through playing number games on the computer, improving her numeracy skills enabling her to be independent shopping and handling money.
Richard Stepanenko – Aged 45, Richard attends Lanark Lodge in Duns and was referred to Adult Learning through Ways 2 Work. He has visual impairment and needs special features to use the computer keyboard to study word recognition and letter patterns. This has helped him with the paperwork in his work at the Fire Station.
Zoe Stevenson – At 23, Zoe was referred to Adult Learning after a long period of poor health when she was unable to work. Beginning with computer skills and maths she is making good progress on a Standard Grade Maths course. She has worked on a CV and begun to write positively about the skills she has built up in her work experiences. She is now able to deal with family finance, bills, etc. She has broken down some major barriers.
“Visually Impaired Computing” – Members of this group have had to deal with sight loss and how it affects their everyday living. The group has become a support mechanism for the individuals as well as a learning environment. The confidence of the individuals within the group has grown and this has lead to greater independence, with some of the group using different methods of transport and going on short breaks away.
Claire Weatherly – Aged 18, Claire left school at end of S4. In S3/S4 she had learning support and had a scribe for her final exams. She took her Prepare for Care and Intermediate 1 Care at Borders College and then went on to complete a Get Ready for Work course at Abbey Row Nursery in Kelso and has now started an SVQ 2 in the workplace.
Alan Wilson – Aged 21, Alan was not motivated to learn at school. Since leaving, he studied catering at Telford College and worked in the catering industry for 2-3 years before being referred to Careers Scotland for a career change. He was helped onto Get Ready for Work at Stobo Castle. At Borders College he has taken an SVQ 2 in Beauty Therapy.
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